The Mission
by Moon-Blackhuntress
Summary: Oneshot. In which Itachi kills his clan. And yes people, it's yet ANOTHER Itachi-offs-the-clan fic.


**I had to write an english assignment so of course I wrote about everyone's favorite Uchiha. Except I didn't add the bloody-ish things.**

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><p>Itachi sat in his dark room looking at Shisui's suicide note. After his mother had come by with dinner and requesting him to spend time with his family, he let it flutter to floor as he got prepared for his mission. He donned his armor of arm guards, a breast plate and slid his katana into place on his back. As he tied his forehead protector on he activated his Sharingan and leapt out into the night.<p>

Itachi ran along the rooftops, the full moon illuminating his figure and making the shadows dance. His conscience was screaming at him to stop, that he was about to betray his clan, his family. That the clan was everything and he was supposed to protect it from things like this. His loyalty for the clan fought his loyalty for Konoha, his inner child screamed at the thought of killing his family, and his pacifist side didn't want anymore bloodshed. But Itachi knew that if a clan like the Uchiha were to go against the leaders of Konoha then many people would die and the other countries would try to invade. It would be certain to spark the Fourth Great Ninja War. Itachi was sure if he had to live through another war, he'd break.

So, silencing his conscience, he moved quickly from house to house, slaughtering his clansmen. Itachi, having been a ninja for most of his thirteen years, had learned that in order to stay sane certain things needed to be blocked out and ignored. Like their screams of terror and pain and the betrayal shining in their eyes as the Uchiha clan's prodigy murdered them all in cold blood while the same blood that ran through their veins flowed along the edge of the blade.

The young killer's orders had been clear: Exterminate the Uchiha clan, and leave no one alive. So over and over again he killed, leaving the bodies to fall to the floor in the puddles of cooling blood. Every man, woman and child fell before his blade, and the blade of his accomplice. The assassinations were over quickly, leaving only three more members left. Running back to his own home Itachi prayed he got to his family before Madara did. At least Itachi would make their deaths quick as he could, like he had done to the others. But he knew Madara liked to play with his victims, like a cat and a mouse and he couldn't bear the thought of Madara torturing his beloved brother or his sweet mother for entertainment.

As Itachi slunk into his house, he paused to search for his family with his chakra. Finding parents in the empty room in the back, he teleported to them. His sudden appearance startled both of them, making his mother jump and his father's eyes widen. "Itachi someone out there killed-" his mother, Mikoto, started and cut off when Itachi drew his blade. "Itachi." Fugaku, his father, said slowly, "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"It is the Hokage's orders that the Uchiha clan is to be eliminated for treason committed by planning to overthrow the Hokage and start civil war." Itachi stated emotionlessly. Mikoto and Fugaku were shocked and it showed on their faces. Itachi used their shock to his advantage and easily sliced through their jugulars. As he watched his father hit the floor Itachi began to war with himself.

A part of him, a large part, wasn't sure if he could go through with killing his little brother while the cold rational side said he had to complete the mission no matter what, no matter the amount of pain and guilt it caused him. Besides, the rational side pointed out, Itachi had already killed his parents, his lover and every other family member. Even the ones younger than his eight year old brother, so why should this one child matter more than the dozens of people he'd killed tonight, indirectly or by his own hand?

Because, his softer side whispered, because you didn't love them as much. Sasuke is worth so much more than them, you've already promised him you'd protect him no matter what and he's innocent. He had nothing to do with the uprising, never knew anything about it. He looks up to you, loves you for who you are, not what you can do. You could kill your guilty parents but could you kill your innocent little brother?

During Itachi's musings he heard Sasuke running outside. Itachi listened to his brother's scared voice through the walls and realized he couldn't kill him. Not without falling apart. But he knew if he did let Sasuke go unharmed then others could still hurt him. Danzo would send his ROOT after Sasuke, or worse, turn him into a mindless weapon. Unless Itachi blackmailed him somehow. What did that rat live and die for? Itachi wondered. Konoha. If Itachi threatened to leak Konoha's secrets to enemies he might be able to keep Danzo from getting his hands on him. The Hokage wasn't a threat, he hadn't wanted Itachi to annihilate the clan to begin with, so Itachi was sure he could convince him to let Sasuke live.

Even then rogues, like Orochimaru and Madara, would be after him. Sasuke was too weak, though Itachi knew he'd grow into an excellent ninja if the events tonight didn't shatter his fragile mind. He was after all, just a child. If Sasuke was to become more powerful he'd need a reason. Sasuke's old reason for training so hard was to surpass Itachi so their father would be proud of him. Sasuke was going to hate him for murdering everyone, Itachi could use that hate and make Sasuke wish revenge on him. Revenge made ninja stronger, hate did too.

Sasuke's footsteps were running closer to the room where Itachi stood over his parents. The only thing Itachi could think of in order to turn his little brother's love into hate was to act like everything Itachi had ever done was an act. Itachi would have to break his brother's heart, and be the cruel, cold killer he was capable of being. Sasuke was feet away from opening the door. Itachi let himself have a brief moment of grief before bracing himself to destroy Sasuke's innocence. As the door creaked open Itachi readied to throw his shuriken.

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><p><strong>I totally forgot all about the part when Itachi was sitting on the pole. I may or may not add that sometime in the future. And remember: critique reviews are the only way for me to stop writing crap! So if you're a hater and a flamer, try to do something useful like <em>shuting the fuck up <em>and tell me what I could do to improve. Even if that review is just to point out I spelled a word wrong somewhere.**

**On a lighter note, anybody else think the story's kinda...stiff? Or too formal? It doesn't really sound (look?) like it flows, ya know?**


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